Ballard carbines: Blued, browned, or bright???

[Rob FreemanWBR]

I hope this is an easy question for someone to answer:


Q: Were Ballard Carbines that were issued for service blued?

Have checked various websites, but nothing was consistent. Read that they were produced (granted the number of variants) with Browned, Blued and/or bright barrels/hardware... Just interested in issued pieces.

Any clarity is greatly appreciated!

[Carolina Reb]

The 56-56 Ballards have blued barrels and levers. The frames may have been blue too, but the iron turns brown faster than the barrels.

[Mike w/ 34th]

This probably won't give you any clarity, but my State of Kentucky rifle has a blued barrel and case hardened action.

My carbine is all bright, but I think that's from post-war use and abuse.

-Mike

[Curt]

Hallo!

Blued barrel, case-hardened receiver, case-hardened barrel band. Butt plate too.

Curt

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

Hallo!

Blued barrel, caswe-hardened receiver, case-hardened barrel band. Butt plate too.

Curtas a collector of them I have to disagree with you on the receivers . All of the like new ones I have owned were blued. The cased colored ones are later, not civil war period.

[Timmeu]

mine is blued on all metal.